Summer watering guide

Summer is the time you face acute water scarcity in most places or lack of fresh water areas where the round water areas where the ground water turns salty due to reduction in underwater flow. The average water requirement per square foot of greenery is around 150 to 250 ml per day. But only a limited portion of this water is absorbed the plant as the remaining portion percolates or evaporates. Any establishment situated in such a span (in an acre) would normally use that much water if it is a crowded establishment. If such water is collected and conditioned or purified without any active harmful micro-organisms, it can be used for irrigating your premises to maintain the lush greenery. There are many commercial methods for purification of water, the ecofriendly method being the root zone method. You can judge the water requirement of plants from its appearance. The flimsy and feathery leaf plants will normally get affected by a little shortage of water, while thick and fleshy leaf plants can live without water for long time. Established palms do not require much water during summer, yet they look better with water. In situations where you face a severe water shortage, the first plants can go without water are palms. Similarly tall trees do not depend on your water alone during summer, instead their tap root will penetrate deep into the ground to find its water. Spines are an adaptation for xerophytic plants, so most of these plants are habituated to a situation without water for a few days. Euphorbia cacti, Brmelidas, Agaves etc belong to this group. You can avoid watering these plants a few weeks. Most lawn grass can stay alive without water for over three months, but they lose colour (turning brown) and attraction. You will see the life getting retained at their shoot apex and as you water continuously for three weeks, they become green again. The best way of water management is grouping similar plants. This needs to be done while planting them itself. Such grouping reduces the effort of individual feeding and over watering. Coirpath, wood shavings, mulch and peat are  good water retainers in soil. But their quantity should not be over 30% in soil.

 

The New Indian Express, 10th April 2009